Valve-stem-locking means for inner-tube molds and the like



Aug. 26, 1930.

W. L. FAIRCHILD VALVE STEM LOCKING MEANS FOR INNER- TUBE HOLDS AND THE LIKE Original Filed May 10, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 26, 1930. w. L.. FAIRCHILD VALVE STEM LOCKING MEANS FOR INNER TUBE MoLDs AND THE LI'KE Original Filed May 10'. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet, 2

WEET-22,

UNITED STATES.; PATENT OFFICE WALTER L. vraincirinn, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

vAiivnsTEm-LOCKING MnAiis FoiifiivNER-TUBE ivioLDs Annf'riiELixE Original application ledflay '101,1 1952.6,

This invention relatesto new. and improved vulcanizing apparatus, more particularlyfto vulcanizing` apparatus adapted foruse `for producing inner tubesusedfwithin outer casgings or shoes to form a'pneumatic vehicle tire. f 1

n The machine which ter of the present invention is of the type in whichthe article to Vbe treated `is placed win a mold andthe'vulcanization carriedon with the. article confined therein.

y.One of the objects provide new and improved 'means for locking the valve stem of the tube inthe walletV a- 15 sectionallmolchthe invention contemplating certain improvements lovery mechanismy ein-y ployed for a similar purpose disclosed in my States .patent Reissue No. 16,542,v dated February8,1927.

United 2o yOther objects and ai more or lessspecific than those referred to above, will be in partA obvious and in part out in the courseof thefollowing. description of the elements, combinations, anr y 25 rangementsof parts and applications-of prinpointed ci les nconstitutin@r the invention; and theV P a a tection contemplated will bein-' scope of pro cheated in the-appended claims. n

This a'pplicationis a division of my co- -ci pending application Serial No, 107 ,902 iiled May 10,1926.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein `l have illustrated two forms of embodiments of my invention,

full and dotted lines;

Figure 4 represents in' elevation, showing the valve stem locking',v mechanism inopenpo'sition; i iq l Figure 5 represents afdetail elevationshowing a modified form 50T mechanism; f Y

, Figure 1 represents a plan view; of the apparatus, partly vbroken away; Figure 2 represents a sect Y. i

plane of the line 11.-Hof Figure 1,lo oling inthe direction of the arrows, loiie'section of 40 the mold being shownl in two positions in 192s. seria1No.277,' 143.`

row and forms the subjcct'matu p l .portion removed. f

of the invention is to s of the invention,

n taken inthe a' detail section, partly of valve stem. locking seriaiiio. 107,902. ritmicay auditing application niediryp. 12, Y

Figure 7 represents a detail section taken-55 in the saine plane as Figure 6, but viewing thel lower portionof' the moldwith the uppel`- Before proceeding to describe thestructural details of theembodiments ofiny invention disclosed herein, it may be noted that'. my invention is especially adapted for vul# canizing inner tubes formed ofrubber con pound wherematingkmold sections are'einployedsuch, rfor-instance, as shown ininy saidv ReissuefPatent No. 16,542, and where vulcanizing gases, including air andsteam, are to befintroduced into the article being'` A vulcanized through a valve stem. extending inwardly ,through themold wall; it being necessary that this valve stein be locked sey curely inlthe aperture of` the vinold Wall through which it passes. mold, mating individual heated sections are employed; the lower section preferably exceeding the upper one in cross-sectional area, so that the aperture through which the valve stem extends and into which it is locked, is rlocated wholly within the lower section of the Referringnow to thedrawings, the referencenumeral 1 denotes the lowersection, the n same Vbeing provided with a circular vulcan-v izing channel 2 adapted to receive the inner tube 3 to be vulcanized, the latter being pio-l vided with the valve stem 4.. This mold-section is also provided with the usual steam chambery 5. ,Extending laterally from the mold section l isan arm l6, to which is pivoted at7 any arm Sof the upper Vmold. section 9 which is likewise provided with a vulcanizing' channel 10 anda steam ychamber 11. The sections 1v and 9 of the mold 'are' provided I y with Vface plates 12 and 13` respectively, theV face plate 12 havingsquared ribsl/i which fit in 4correspondingly shaped recesses 15 of l the upper mold section; the construction beingvsuch'thau whenI thepface plates are lying-in engagement, a circular vu'lcani'zing j cavity substantiallyY oval 'or elliptical in cross- Figure 6 represents a detailsection taken Y substantially in the plane of the line VI of Figure 5, looking .in ythe direction of the ar- Inthis type 0f v i section will be provided between the mating sections of the mold. The face plates 12 and 13 are ground to such a nicety and lie in such close engagement that there' is little or 1o chance of lin or rib being formedr on the exterior rsurface of the tube when the latter is subjected to the vulcanizing operation.

With particular reference to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 'l to 4 inclusive, the lower section 1 is provided with a recess 16 that extends downwardly through the face plate 12 and has downwardly inclined walls 17 and 18. The bottom wall of this recess has straight portions 19, and a cavity 2O having arc-shaped portions 21 and a straight portion 22.

The reference numeral 23 denotes a block having tapered side walls 24 and 25 and rib 14', said block being so termed that it will exactly fit the recess 16 of the lower mold section when the same is locked therein, as shown in Figure 3. The upper surface of the rib 14 unites with the upper surface of the inner rib 14 so that a continuous rib is thereby formed entirely around the inner portion of the lower mold section.

The block 23 is provided with a cavity 26 having curved walls 27 and a flat wall 28 substantially corresponding to the curved walls 21 and straight wall 22 of cavity 20; the construction being such that when the block 23 is located in the recess 16 there will be formed an aperture extending through the mold wall and composed of the cavities 20 and 26; the

'. llat sides of said aperture corresponding with the usual flat sides on valve stems and the curved portions corresponding to the curved sides usually formed on said stems.

The block 23 is mounted upon the branch 30 of a slidably mounted bracket arm 31, which is fitted io slide in a guide plate 33 which is fastened to the inner circumference of the lower mold section, as by means of screws 34. It will be seen by reference to Figures 3 and 4 that, as the bracket arm is moved upwardly, the block 23 will be lifted from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 4.

Mounted upon the lower mold section 1 are the brackets 35 and 36 which form bearings for a crank shaft 37 having an arm 38 Aprovided with a pin 39 that is received in a slot 40 formed in a forked arm 41 extending laterally from the lower end of bracket arm 31. The shaft 37 is provided witha crank arm 42 having an operating handle 43.

When the parts are in the position shown in Figure 3, with the block 23 seated in the recess 16, it will be noted that the crank shaft 37 and pin 39 are in a dead center position, and that when the crank shaft 37 is rotated through an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees (180) to lift the block 23 to the position shown in Figure 4, a similar dead center position is established between these parts, whereby the mechanism tends to lock the block in both its lower and upper positions.

vWith particular reference to the inodiiied form of my invention illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7, the recess 16 and cavity 2O are formed in the inner wall oi? the lower mold section 1 as in the first described embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, and th-e block 23 is also the same. However, instead ot mounting the block as shown in the first form, it is xedly secured to the lower surface of the upper mold section 9, as by means of screws 44 which pass through the block 23 and are threaded into the upper section. lt is, therefore, to be noted that, in this construction, when the upper section 9 oi the mold is swung downwardly upon the lower section, the block 23 will lbe automatically positioned within the recess 16 with the valve stein extending through the aperture formed by the cavities 20 and 26. This eliminates the necessity of manipulating the mechanism for raising and lowering the block 23 as embodied in the yforni shown in Fi eures 1 to 4 inclusive In operating the device, when the form shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive is being used, the tube to be vulcanized is placed in the lower section 1 with its valve stem lying in the cavity 22, the crank 37 is then turned so as to lower the block 23 to the locking position shown in Figure 3, and the upper section of the mold closed down on the lower section, whereupon vulcanization may proceed. In operating the modified form shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, the tube to be vulcanized is likewise placed in the lower mold section with the valve stem in the cavity 20, and then the section 9 of the mold is lowered upon the section 1, which movement of itself brings the block 23 to the seated or locking position shown in Figure 5. In both forms, the Inovement of the block into and out of the recess is in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the mold as a whole although, of course, in the case of the modiiied form shown n in Figures 5, 6 and 7, this movement is, strictly speaking, in the direction of an are having the pivot 7 as its center. In bath forms, also, this closing of the mold lirmly locks the valve stem in position, which is a very important consideration during the vulcani- Zation of the tube.

Itv will accordingly be seen that I have provided a construction which attains, ainoing others, all. the ends and objects above pointed out in a most efficient manner. The device is particularly adapted for use in a construction wherein the mold sections are unevenly divided, that is to say, where the mold' is divided above the center so. that a greater portion of the tube to he vulcanized lies within the lower section. l

It will be understood that various changes may be resorted to in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts Without departing from the spiritand scope of my invention; and hence, I do not intend to be limited to the details herein shovvn and described except as they may be included in the claims.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus of the character described comprising, a plurality of mold sections adapted When placed in mating relation to form an annular vulcanizing chamber fitted to receive a tube to be vulcanized, a tapered recess formed in the inner edge of one of said sections fashioned to receive avalve stem of said tube, a tapered locking block adapted to lit into said recess for locking the Valve stem therein, and means for movingv said block in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the mold sections for bringing it into and out of said recess to lock and release the valve stein.

2. Apparatus kof the character described comprising, a plurality of mold sections adaptedyvhen placed in mating relation to form an annular vulcanizing chamber tted to receive a tube to be vulcanized, lafrecess 11th day of May, 1928.

ing adapted to be brought into and out 'of Y locking engagement With said valve stein.

Within said recess by the normal relative inotion of the sections in moving into and out of mating relation. l u

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as niyinvention, I have signed my name this WALTER L. FAIRCI-IILD.

'rs i formed in one of said sections fashioned to receive a valve stem of said tube, a lockingv block adapted to fit into said recess for lockingvthe valve stein therein, said block being carried on a member slidably mounted in said section, and means fory operating said u member to move the block into and out of y,

. said recess.

3. Apparatusof the character described comprising, a plurality of mold sections adapted when placed' in mating relation to form an annular vulcanizing chamber fitted to receive a tube to be vulcanized, a recess ji the block is Wholly out of and Wholly in said recess. f

4. Apparatus of the character described comprising, a plurality of mold sections adapted When placed in mating relation to form an annular `vulcanizing chamber fitted to receive a, tube to ,be vulcanized, a recess formed in the mat-ingedge of one of said secv tions fashioned to receive a valve stem of said tube and being tapered in a plane substantially parallel tothe axis of the mold sections, a Y

tapered locking block fashioned to receive said valve stem and adapted to fit into said recess for locking the valvetherein, said block being carried by the'mold section other than the one in which the recess is formed and be- \n DISCLAIMER I 1,773,810`Walter L. Fairchild, New York, N .v Y. VALVE-STEM-LOCKING MEANS FOR INNER-TUBE MoLDs AND THE LIKE. Patent dated August 26, 1930.

isolaimer filed January 10, 1939, by the patentee; the e approving and consenting. Hereby enters this disclaimer to claim 4 in said specification.

[Ofic/al Gazette, February 7, 1.939.] 

